Letter: Give us the power!

Dear Editor

There can be very few households in the UK who are not worried by their gas and electricity bills. The advice usually given is to shop around for lower tariffs, but this is no permanent solution. The absolute necessity for everyone to afford adequate fuel supplies is overwhelming but it seems that a few major suppliers have a near monopoly on the industry – and have been making millions of pounds profit.

Just a few examples:

£139 million Scottish Gas, February 2015

£549 million SSE, November 2015

£528 million British Gas (first six months 2015)

£860 million EDF, February 2014

£1.5 BILLION Southern Electric, Jan 2014

And yet there are perhaps millions of people who cannot afford adequate heating!

By any measure, this situation cannot go on like this in the 21st Century. As an essential necessity energy supplies MUST become publicly-owned industries, working in the interests of everyone; profits made not for private individuals or groups of investors but used to reduce prices and to maintain efficient industries.

Energy supplies must be seen as important to the people of the UK as the NHS has proved to be. Maximum unity of working people is needed to press for these vital public services: it is up to us.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Ewing hails community energy schemes

But the GMB union argues that we need more than renewable energy to keep the UK’s lights on

Community energy can go from strength to strength following a strong year for the sector, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said yesterday. From large scale wind farms to small scale hydro projects, over £10 million was last year ploughed back into communities from renewable sources. Continue reading Ewing hails community energy schemes

The lifestyle quiz that helps you save …

How much money could you save by turning your thermostat down by 1°C, or not leaving your electrical appliances on standby? How much electricity can you save by washing your clothes at 30°C?

Answer correctly and you could cut £155 or more off your energy bills, and have a chance to win £100 or £50 in gift vouchers, in a prize draw being run by Home Energy Scotland.

The answers are among five useful tips included in a quiz leaflet, ‘Your chance to win – and reduce your energy bills.’

Watch out for the leaflet in Council mailings or call Home Energy Scotland free for a copy on 0808 808 2282.

Jill Fenton, Manager at Home Energy Scotland advice centre in the South East said “This quiz shows how easy it is for people to make simple changes to save energy, reduce their fuel bills and cut their carbon emissions. It’s a fun way to help people to remember.”

Home Energy Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government to offer free, impartial advice on making your home cheaper to heat. For in-depth advice on how to reduce your energy bills or become more energy efficient, freephone Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or text WARM to 81025.

Nikki, a young mum of two, who called Home Energy Scotland said “If I had a friend who needed help with heating their home or paying their energy bills, I’d say call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 and find out what they can do to help”

Power to Switch: government encourages energy consumers to shop around

A new government campaign has been launched to encourage consumers to shop around for the best energy deals

13.5 million households across the UK are missing out on their share of £2.7 billion by sticking with their energy company, according to the Department of Energy & Climate Change. They say that by shopping around and taking advantage of the best energy deals on the market, millions of people can save around £200 – and some can save even more.

The ‘Power to Switch’ campaign, launched today, encourages people to switch supplier and save money by visiting www.BeAnEnergyShopper.com. With 26 energy companies on the market and some fixed deals £100 cheaper than they were a year ago, there’s never been a better time to find a great deal, switch and save.

Launching the campaign, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “When it comes to switching, the power is in people’s hands to get a better deal and save. We’ve reformed the market so that there are more suppliers, more competition, and a much faster and simpler process to switch. That means millions of people can switch supplier and save hundreds of pounds today.”

Energy and Climate Change Minister Amber Rudd said: “We’ve already taken £50 off bills and now we’re urging people to take advantage of the most competitive energy market we’ve ever had to save hundreds of pounds. With Ofgem’s strengthened Confidence Code for price comparison sites, people will be able to have greater confidence than ever before that by switching, they’ll see real savings.”

The Government’s programme of energy market reform includes:

Halving switching times – it now takes only 17 days to switch energy supplier down from 5 weeks last year;
Encouraging new suppliers on to the market – there are now 20 independent suppliers;
Legislating to back Ofgem reforms that force energy companies to make energy bills clearer – and providing information for customers about how to switch.

Ofgem has recently strengthened its Confidence Code for price comparison websites, setting tighter standards on how tariffs are displayed with websites given until the end of March to comply.

Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert, said: “We need to shout loud about the benefits of switching tariff. Too many people think energy firms are ‘all the same’. That’s far from true, there are huge differences on both price and customer service.

“The worry is that news of recent price cuts, even though they were paltry, will have given many false confidence that they’re on a decent deal. Examine the figures and the ugly truth is very different.

“Even after price cuts, someone on a Big 6 supplier standard tariff with typical use will pay £1,158 a year, whereas switch to the cheapest tariff and they’d pay just over £900 a year. So it’s worth people taking 10 minutes to see if they can save themselves £250 ― at an hourly rate of £1,500 if someone else was offering this to you as work, would you turn it down?”

The ‘Power to Switch’ campaign will run for four weeks and will include national, regional and online advertising, encouraging people to switch and save.

For more information about how to switch energy supplier visit www.BeAnEnergyShopper.com or call the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234.

Keeping Scotland’s homes warm

An additional £20 million will be invested to cut fuel poverty and improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s housing, Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil confirmed today. And with energy costs tumbling, Mr Neil also urged energy providers to implement price cuts NOW.

£6 million is earmarked for home energy efficiency programmes that will support measures such as solid wall, cavity or loft insulation.

An additional £14 million will be invested in low cost home energy efficiency loans available to households in the private sector to supplement existing grant schemes to help install energy efficiency measures.

This additional funding will take the Scottish Government’s investment to tackle fuel poverty and boost energy efficiency over the three years 2013/14 to 2015/16 to around £300 million.

Details of the loan schemes will be announced in due course.

Mr Neil said: “This Government is determined to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency head on, as this additional £20 million investment for energy efficiency measures demonstrates.

“Fuel costs have risen six times faster than incomes since 2003. In 2013, fuel prices rose by seven per cent, pushing more people into fuel poverty. The fact that this is happening in an energy-rich country is outrageous.

“Given the recent reductions in energy costs, all energy providers must implement price cuts now and not wait until the Spring.

“This additional funding means we have allocated over half a billion pounds since 2009 to make Scotland’s homes more energy efficient”.

“Over 700,000 households have benefited from measures like new boilers or insulation targeted in particular at those in or at risk of fuel poverty.”

Government to invest £224 million to tackle fuel poverty

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced that the Scottish Government is set to invest millions in a new national fuel poverty scheme. She made the announcement as she launched a campaign aimed at helping people reduce their winter fuel bills.

The Government will shortly be inviting bids for a contract, worth up to £224 million over seven years, to deliver a new national fuel poverty scheme from 2015.

The new scheme will deliver energy efficiency measures such as better insulation and heating systems, helping to create warmer and greener homes for thousands of Scots.

The announcement comes as a campaign is launched encouraging Scots to take advantage of free help which is available now to reduce their winter fuel bills.

The Home Energy Scotland campaign seeks to provide householders with free and impartial advice on support to help cut energy bills, whatever their circumstances.

Launching the campaign, the Deputy First Minister said: “It takes just one phone call to the Home Energy Scotland hotline to see if you can save money on winter fuel bills, and I would encourage people to call the hotline on 0808 808 2282, or visit the HES website.

“Anyone can get energy efficiency advice and find out what’s available to them, and many others can also qualify for energy saving improvements such as insulation, boilers or central heating for free.

“Rising energy bills remain a huge concern for the Scottish Government and fuel poverty is still a major issue in Scotland, with over 27 per cent of households affected.

“It is a scandal that there should be any fuel poverty in an energy-rich country like Scotland, and that is why I am delighted to announce a contract worth up to £224 million over seven years for the delivery of a new national fuel poverty scheme from 2015.

“This will build on the success of the Energy Assistance Scheme, which has provided over 46,000 vulnerable households with heating and/or insulation measures over the past five years.

“This long term contract will help thousands more households over the next few years, and is testament to our commitment to helping Scots escape fuel poverty.”

visit www.homeenergyscotland.org.uk

or call 0808 808 2282 for more information

No fracking chance!

$frack$

The Scottish Government is objecting to UK Government proposals which would remove the right of Scottish householders to object to oil and gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing beneath their homes. The stance has been welcomed by the Scottish Greens, who say fracking poses a threat to our economy as well as our environment.

The proposals from the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change will allow companies to drill below people’s land without first negotiating a right of access.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has said that powers on this issue should be with Scotland, and that independence will give the people of Scotland, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government the power to consider policy on unconventional oil and gas in a cautious, considered and evidence-based way.

Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “The Scottish Government believe that there should be an evidence based, cautious and considered approach to unconventional oil and gas, and that all of the decisions taken about it should be taken by the people of Scotland, through the Parliament and Government they elected.

“UK Government proposals to remove the right of Scottish householders to object to drilling under their homes flies in the face of that approach and that is why we object to them. It is also fundamentally an issue affecting land ownership rights.

“The gung-ho approach of the UK Government to the whole issue of unconventional oil and gas – often without any consultation with the Scottish Government at all – contrasts with our approach.

“Whatever your view on the issue of unconventional oil and gas – and it is clear that there are both opportunities and concerns – there is only one way that the people of Scotland can determine the approach in Scotland – including beneath their homes and land. That is to take the power to deal with this issue away from Westminster and that can only be done with the powers of independence.“

Patrick Harvie, Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, welcomed Energy Minister Fergus Ewing’s comments yesterday.

The Green MSP pointed out that the Infrastructure Bill – put forward at Westminster by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government and supported by Labour – would overrule trespass laws, enabling drilling firms to install pipes to transport gas without landowners’ permission.

He added: “Greens have been calling for this proposal to be blocked in Scotland, so these comments from Fergus Ewing are a good step. Holyrood should reject the UK Infrastructure Bill when it gets the chance to do so by way of legislative consent motions.

“Meantime Scottish ministers should continue to consider the use of existing regulations to ban unconventional gas completely. We are risking our economy, not just our environment, if we encourage yet more fossil fuel extraction.

“Communities such as Airth near Falkirk and Canonbie in Dumfries and Galloway are already facing a battle against gas drilling. Given the Scottish Government’s failure to support a ban on fracking or clear buffer zones, and the First Minister’s description of shale gas as an opportunity, many other communities across Scotland will remain deeply concerned at these unwanted, unnecessary developments.”

In June, Derek Mackay MSP, Minister for Local Government and Planning, announced the new Scottish Planning Policy. Following extensive public consultation and rigorous scrutiny in the Scottish Parliament, it was clear that concerns remained over buffer-zones and community engagement.

Five new measures were introduced in relation to hydraulic fracturing, including bringing in a requirement that developments only proceed if communities and the environment can be protected, and operators will have to consult with communities on their proposals.

The Scottish Government convened a group of experts last September to review the scientific evidence on unconventional oil & gas, and on 28 July they published an authoritative and impartial report.

The findings from the Independent Expert Scientific Panel have highlighted a number of issues that may require further work, including some suggestions on further tightening of our robust regulatory process and a Working Group will now look at these areas to take forward those suggestions.

Fracking hell: new report ignites energy debate

‘No place for fracking in Scotland’s energy future’ – Patrick Harvie

$frack$ Scotland is sitting on enough shale oil and gas to meet our energy needs for the next half-century, according to a new report by the British Geological Survey – but environmentalists are warning that ‘fracking’ to get at shale gas deposits would have serious consequences for local communities.

The British Geological Survey’s report of the resources in the Midland Valley, Scotland, suggests a ‘modest’ amount of gas and oil in place. The central estimate of shale gas in place is 80 trillion cubic feet, the central estimate for shale oil in place is 6 billion barrels of oil.

However ‘modest’, the Department of Energy and Climate Change believes ‘ the complex geology of the area and historic mine workings means that exploratory drilling and testing is even more important to determine how much can be recovered.’

Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said: “Making the most of Britain’s home grown energy is crucial to keep job and business opportunities, widen tax revenues and reduce our reliance on foreign imports.

“We know that shale gas alone won’t be able to supply all of our energy needs, but the environmentally responsible exploration of shale gas could contribute to our energy mix.

“Only the broad shoulders of the United Kingdom can attract investment in new energy sources and maintain the UK’s position as one of the world’s great energy hubs – generating energy and generating jobs.

“The UK’s energy security is among the best in the world, backed by a large consumer and tax base that can afford to support our world-leading energy industries and make us such an attractive place to invest.”

Professor Mike Stephenson, Director of Science and Technology at the British Geological Survey said: “The central estimate of shale gas in place is 80 trillion cubic feet and the central estimate for shale oil in place is 6 billion barrels of oil but reserves cannot be calculated at this stage before drilling and testing take place. The Midland Valley of Scotland has complex geology and a relative lack of data compared to the previous DECC-BGS Bowland-Hodder and Weald Basin studies”

However Green MSP Patrick Harvie says the study by the British Geological Survey shows that ‘potentially modest’ reserves of shale oil and gas prove that fracking shouldn’t figure in Scotland’s energy future.

He pointed out that the estimated 80 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in central Scotland is just six per cent of the reserves thought to be present in northern England and said a huge swathe of Scotland – from Argyll to Aberdeenshire and from Ayrshire to East Lothian – has been earmarked as ‘ripe for fracking’ by the UK Government.

Mr Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow and Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said: “This study puts paid to all the hype we’ve been fed about a shale bonanza. Not only would fracking divert attention from our undoubted renewables potential but any economically viable extraction would be modest and short-term. Greens want a long-term energy plan for Scotland, and we have abundant clean sources to do this.

“As communities across Scotland realise the risk to their local environments from the prospect of fracking, and as climate science tells us we must start to leave unburnt fossil fuels in the ground, it’s clear that any such developments will face strong opposition.

“It all serves as a reminder that Westminster controls energy policy in Scotland. The chance to pursue clean, long-lasting power rather than polluting, finite fuels is a compelling reason to vote Yes in September.”

Lazarowicz: Green technology must be at the heart of economic strategy

Mark Lazarowicz MP is calling on the UK and Scottish Governments to realise fully the potential of the green economy to create skilled, long-term jobs at the same time as tackling climate change and fuel poverty.

In a wide ranging essay for the Scottish Fabian Society, the North and Leith MP says the green economy could draw on existing industrial strengths, pointing to local examples in Edinburgh as well as elsewhere in Scotland.

Mark Lazarowicz (pictured above) said: “The financial crisis graphically illustrated the need to rebalance the Scottish and UK economies and we should place the green economy at the heart of our economic strategy.

“For instance, energy to heat your home should not be a luxury and energy efficiency is one of the most important ways to tackle fuel poverty in the long term as well as climate change.

“Green technology also has the potential to be a major export sector, not just in large-scale manufacture of say, wind turbines, but also of the parts required and project design where Scotland already has a wealth of expertise.

“It’s much more than a niche industry: with new rules on recycling and targets for cutting carbon emissions we have to green our economy and Scotland should be leading not lagging behind.”

The MP’s article appears in a new collection of essays by Scottish Labour MPs setting out policy alternatives for a new future for Scotland. It can be found at

http://www.scottishfabians.org.uk/publications/

Help with heating bills

A new national campaign to ensure households know what energy initiatives they are entitled to was launched today (October 7). The campaign following a recent survey which shows 75 per cent of Scots are worried about their energy bills.

Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, launched the campaign which highlights the benefits available to Scots through the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland hotline [0808 808 2282] which offers free impartial energy advice and support.

The Scottish Government has a budget of £74 million this year to help Scots reduce their fuel bills and transform Scotland’s housing stock into warmer, more efficient, greener homes – all part of actions to increase energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty in 2013/14.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Home Energy Scotland hotline is an invaluable source of support for householders all over the country, providing a one stop shop for the Scottish Government’s home energy-saving initiatives.

“Many people are losing money by not taking up initiatives, yet anyone can apply for up to £1200 towards home improvements that will make their home warmer, greener and more cost-effective.

“Many people will also qualify to get energy-saving home improvements such as insulation, boilers or central heating for free. The hotline’s advisers are friendly and impartial and one call is all it takes to see what you might be eligible for.”

A YouGov survey recently found that three-quarters of Scots are concerned about the cost of their energy bills this winter, while more than 70 per cent of Scottish bill payers said last winter’s energy bills had a negative impact on their disposable income. Around 80 per cent (81 per cent) of householders also admit to being energy wasters at home.

More than 800,000 Scots have been offered energy advice or assistance on heating bills since 2009 , accessible through the Home Energy Scotland hotline.

Thousands of households across Scotland are eligible to have insulation, boilers and central heating installed for free. One call to the hotline is all it takes to find out if you qualify.

A home that isn’t well insulated can lose more than 50 per cent of its heat through its roof and walls, yet just a quarter of Scots surveyed would consider getting new insulation compared to the 71 per cent that said they would consider wearing a coat or extra jumper indoors in order to keep their bills low.

The Home Energy Scotland hotline’s expert advisers can inform callers which of the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Programmes they qualify for, as well as giving personalised advice on how to make homes more efficient.

Home Energy Scotland hotline

0808 808 2282